Filling apparatus.



A. SHEINAUS.

FlLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.-9, 1916.

1,256,065. Patented Feb. 12,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F 4-H /8 w it 1 i i ii iii: 5 HM will" h 44 mull A IIH WITNESSES: I fie/"W5, INVENTOR (all ATTORNEYS A. SHEINAUS.

FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 9. 1916- Patfited Feb.12,1918.

8-SHEET 2.

ABRAHAM SHEINAUS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FILLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Application filed November 9, 1916. Serial No. 130,418.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM SHEINAUS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, State and county of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filling Apparatus, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates in general to a simple and effective apparatus for filling receptacles up to any desired level, with a conducting solution or with a liquid rendered conductive, means being provided for giving a posltive indication when the desired level of the solution has been reached; and in particular to a filling apparatus of this charac-.

ter adapted to be used in filling storage batterles.

Storage battery fillers of this character have hitherto been made in which an electrical circuit designed to operate the indicat- 1ng device is completed by the solution when it stands at the proper level, through the metal can or receptacle and a metal nozzle extending therein. Such fillers are of course inapplicable to fill receptacles made of nonconducting material, such as glass jars, and they are, therefore, very much limited in practical scope.

A further disadvantage of these storage battery fillers as hitherto made will be clear from the following considerations: There being two terminals, viz: the metal nozzle and the metal can in contact with the solution, polarization takes place, a film of hydrogen or non-conductlng oxid gathering around one of these terminals depending on which of them is permanently connected across the positive pole of the source of current. This polarization effect is cumulative and in consequence after the filling apparatus has been used to fill several cells, the electrically controlled indicatin device becomes inoperative due to the failure of the operating current to pass through the nonconducting film which has gathered around one of the terminals, as explained.

Storage battery fillers of the character described have hitherto been designed further to give the indication only at a single predetermined level of the solution. There is thus no provision for various desired levels and these fillers are thus further limited in their practical application. As the'level of solution desired varies with the particular circumstances and the various purposes to which the filled receptacle is to be applied this is of course a decided disadvantage.

One object therefore of the present invention is to provide a filling apparatus of the character described which shall be adapted to operate with receptacles made of any material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a filling apparatus of the character de-- scribed which shall be efiicient and free from the eflects of polarization as hereinbefore explained.

A further object of this invention is to provide a filling apparatus of the character described which may be adjusted so as to give'an indication when the solution has reached any desired predetermined level.

Still further objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the detailed description and the features of novelty will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

To accomplish. these various objects, I

provide a nozzle adapted to extend into the receptacle to be filled, said nozzle having at the lower portion thereof a pair of insulated conducting rings. These rings are connected to opposite poles of a battery through a pole changer and in circuit with a control magnet for a suitable annunciator.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the invention in connec-- tion with a receptacle of a storage cell. Fig.

2 is a part end elevation of the filler. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation of the commutating switch with the cover removed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the switch contacting members. Fig. 6 gives the connections for the pole changer. Fig. 7 gives a modified form of electrical circuit. Fig. 8 gives the same electrical circuit as in F i 7 but a three ole commutating switch is there shown. ig. 9 is a vertical elevation of a clock operated pole changer. Fig. 10 is a plan View of the same. Figs. 11 to 15, inclusive, are detailed views of the parts of the clock operated pole changer.

Referring in particular to the drawings: 10 is the receptacle and 11 a cover therefor, having an opening through which the solution is introduced. The filler proper consists of a hollow handle 12 within which is the tube 13 connected at one end to the solution tank, the other end being fitted over the projection 14 of the nozzle 15. Pivoted on the handle is a lever 16 having a projection 17 on the underside thereof adapted to enter into the opening 18 in the handle when the lever is depressed, thus constricting the flexible tube 13 to shut off the flow of liquid. If desired a metal tube and other suitable valve mechanism may of course be provided. The lever 16 is further provided with a lateral projection 17 for a purpose hereinafter to be explained. If desired to shut oli' the How for any length of time, the lever may be conveniently kept in its depressed position by a strap 19, as will readily be understood.

The nozzle 15 is made preferably of some insulating material, such as hard rubber, and has an outer surface threaded to receive the collar 20 adapted to travel thereon. The nozzle has fitted around it at the lower portion thereof two metal conducting rings 21, 22, insulated from each other as at 23. The collar 20 is adapted to rest on the cover of the receptacle and by varying its position on the threaded nozzle the level to which these conducting rings project into the receptacle may be easily varied, as will be readily understood from the drawing.

Leads 24, 25, soldered or otherwise electrically connected to the conducting rings as at 26, 27, connect the rings to opposite poles of a source of current 29 through a commutating switch 28 and an electro-magnet 30 adapted to operate the amiunciator 31.

The operation of the commutating switch, attached in any suitable manner to the side of the handle, will now be described in detail. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the switch is of the 4 pole type with the usual cross-connections 32, 33. To make connec-, tions with either pair of poles of the switch, a vertical plunger 34 normally urged upward by the spring 35 has rigidly attached to the sides thereof a pair of contactors 36 permanently connected to opposite poles of a source of current by means of the flexible leads 37, 38, and designed to enter a pair of conducting pockets 39 or 40, attached to the switch-panel. In the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that line 24 and ring 22 are now positive while line 25 and ring 21 are negative. \Vhen the liquid has reached the desired level, the solution shortcircuits the rings and the annunciator is operated. The operator then presses down lever 16 to shut off the flow of liquid. At the same time the projection 17 disposed immediately above the plunger 34 in operative relation thereto presses the latter down against the spring causing the contactors 36 to enter the pockets 40. Lead 25 is then positive and 24 is negative as will be seen from Fig. 4. Thus the polarity of the rings 21 and 22 is reversed when the lever is operated to shut off the flow of liquid, and when the filler is used for the next receptacle the direction of current through the liquid is reversed and polarization is thus entirely eliminated.

In storage battery stations where many cells have to be filled in succession, the operators hand would necessarily become very fatigued and sore due to successively exerting pressure against the spring 35. Hence I provide, instead of the spring pressed pole changer 34 a clock operated pole changer shown in Figs. 9-15, inclusive. In this modified form, the pole changer 41 is rigidly attached to a horizontal plate 42 adapted to slide in the guides 43. Disposed immediately under this sliding plate is the switch panel 44 carrying the two pairs of conducting pockets 45 and 46. The pole changer 41 has the side contactors 47 adapted to enter either of these pairs of pockets and cause commutation in the same manner as the pole changer 34 of Fig. 4. To automatically move the pole changer 41 from one pair of pockets into the other, I provide a segment 48 rigidly mounted on a vertical shaft 49, the latter rotatable when the clock mechanism actuated by the wound spring 50 is released. The sliding plate 42 has two vertical pins 51, 52 rigid therewith and as segment 48 rotates it engages one of the pins and moves the plate 42 together with the pole changer 41 horizontally, either to the left or right, causing the contactors 47 to enter either of the pairs of pockets 45 or 46. A compound lever for controlling the clock mechanism has a pawl 53 held normally against a tooth of the ratchet wheel 54 by a spring 54. It also has the vertical pin 55 adapted to enter a notch 56 in the wheel 57 mounted on the shaft 49 and rotatable therewith. The lever is further provided with the flat projection 58 disposed in operative relation to the clapper or other vibrating element of the annunciator 59, so that when 59 strikes against the projection 58, the ratchet wheel is released, the vertical rod 55 at the same time moving out of the notch 56, and the clock mechanism operates to rotate the segment 48.

Fig. 7 shows a modified form of electric circuit in which by means of a relay 61 the battery is connected directly across the terminals of the annunciator and a small pilot lamp 60 when the armature 62 is at- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. In a filling apparatus, the combination of a supply tube, a nozzle connected thereto, a pair of conducting rings mounted on said nozzle, said rings being suitably insulated from each other, each of said rings being electrically connected to opposite poles of a source of current, and means for controlling the flow of liquid through said supply-tube.

2. In a filling apparatus, the combination of a supply-tube, a nozzle connected thereto, a pair of conducting terminals mounted on said nozzle, said terminals being suitably insulated from each other, each of said terminals being electrically connected to opposite poles of a source of current, means for varying the level to which said terminals extend into a receptacle, and means for controlling the flow of liquid through said supplv-tube.

3. In an apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting liquid, to a desired level, annunciating means, an electrical circuit for operating the same, said circuit adapted to be closed by the liquid when the latter has reached the desired level, and means for reversing the direction of the electric current through the liquid.

4. In an apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting liquid to a desired level, annunciating means, a controlling magnet therefor, an electric circuit for operating the latter, two terminals of the latter circuit extending into the receptacle, said terminals adapted to be short-circuited by the liquid when the latter reaches the desired level, thereby closing the circuit, a pole changer for said terminals, and means for operating said pole changer when the annunciator circuit isclosed.

5. In a filling apparatus, the combination of a supply-tube, a nozzle connected thereto, a pair of conducting rings mounted on said nozzle, said rings being suitably insulated from each other, and adapted to be connected to opposite poles of a source of current, means for reversing the polarity of said rings, and means for controlling the flow of liquid through said supply tube.

6. In a filling apparatus, the combination of a supply-tube, a nozzle connected thereto, a pair of conducting terminals mounted on said nozzle, said terminals being suitably insulated from each other, each of said rings being adapted to be connected to opposite poles of a source of current, means for controlling the fiow of liquid through the supply-tube, and means for reversing the polarity of said terminals when said flow controlling means is operated to shut off the flow.

7. In a filling apparatus, the combination larity of the terminals is reversed when the flow of liquid is shut off.

8. In a fillin apparatus, the combination of a supply-tn e, a nozzle connected thereto, a pair of conducting rings mounted on said nozzle, said rings being suitably insulated from each other, a pole changer for said rings, each of said rings being electrically connected to said pole changer means for controlling the supply of liquid through the supply-tube, operatin means for sald flow controlling means, an means for operating the pole changer simultaneously With the operation of the flow controlling means, whereby the polarity of the rings is reversed when the flow of liquid is shut off.

9. In an apparatus for filling receptacles with liquids, a cover for the receptacle, said cover having an opening therein for filling, and a supp y-tube, a nozzle adapted to be fitted to the supply-tube and to extend into the receptacle through the openin therein, said nozzle comprisin a hollow tube havin a threaded outer sur ace, a collar adapte to thread thereon, and to rest on the cover in adjusted position, whereby the level to which the nozzle extends into the receptacle may be adjusted, said nozzle bearing a pair of insulated conducting rings disposed at the lower portion thereof, said rings adapted .to be electrically connected to opposite poles of a source of current.

10. In an apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting solution, a nozzle within the receptacle through which the solution is introduced, annunciating means, a controlling magnet therefor, and a circuit having vertically adjustable terminals on the,

nozzle, whereby said circuit will be closed when the solution short-circuits said terminals at the desired level of the liquid in the receptacle.

11. In an apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting solution, a nozzle within the receptacle through which the solution is introduced, annunciating means, a controlling magnet therefor, a circuit having vertically adjustable terminals on the nozzle, whereby said circuit Will be closed when the solution short-circuits said terminals at the desired level of liquid in the receptacle, means for controlling the flow of the solution, and means for reversing the polarity of the terminals on the nozzle when the flow controlling means is operated to shut off the flow of solution.

12. In an apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting solution, a nozzle within the receptacle, annunciating means, a controlling magnet therefor, a circuit having vertically adjustable terminals on the nozzle, whereby said circuit will be closed when the solution short-circuits said terminals at the desired level of liquid in the receptacle, means for controlling the flow of the solution, and means for reversing the polarity of the terminals on the nozzle when the annunciating means is operated.

13. An apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting liquid to a desired level comprising a handle, a supply-tube within said handle, means for controlling the flow of liquid through the supply-tube, a lever mounted on said handle for operating said flow control means, electrically controlled annunciating means, a circuit therefor, said circuit adapted to be closed by the liquid when it has reached the desired level in the receptacle, and a pole changer mounted on the handle, said pole changer operative by the lever, whereby the direction of current through the circuit will be reversed when the supply of liquid is shut off.

14. An apparatus for filling receptacles with a conducting liquid to a desired level,

comprising a handle, a supply-tube within said handle, means for controlling the flow of liquid through the supply-tube, a lever mounted on said handle for operating said supply control means, a nozzle secured to the handle at one end thereof adapted to extend into the receptacle, a pair of conducting rings vertically adjustable on said nozzle, electrically controlled annunciating means, an electric circuit therefor, said rings forming two terminals of said circuit, whereby said circuit is closed by the liquid when at the desired level in the receptacle, a pole changer for said rings, means for 0perating the same, said means adapted to operate when the annunciator circuit is closed, whereby the polarity of the rings is reversed.

15. In filling apparatus, liquid supply means, means for controlling the flow of liquid, signaling means controlled by the level of the liquid and polarity reversing means cooperating with the flow controlling means.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABRAHAM SHEINAUS.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN KIRSCHSTEIN, Moimrs lunscnsrsm. 

